Yay or Nay: In 2 years, our Defense will be the worst

[CBS7]

I just don't think age is the problem.

[patryk7754]

Our problems on defense are lack or pass rush and a legit play caller on defense. It has nothing to do with Emery pussy footing with Urlacher because that isn't even true. He offered Urlacher a contract, Urlacher wanted more Emery said no. How is that pussy footing.

[emperorjones]

I just don't think age is the problem.

Yes, the problem is not age.

Urlacher is gone and has been replaced by better, younger LB's
Tillman is playing well (with injuries) and just came off a probowl season
Peppers is.........not sure
Briggs is still fine I think.

The defense actually is pretty young when you look around. I think the problem is not getting production from the D-Line. Shea is really an issue. The 1st round pick should be bringing the pressure off the end. He should have grabbed the starting job and be impacting games. That would bring Wooten down to a situational guy and spelling Peppers.

[bearadonisdna]

Not only that for Wooten but maybe as a darkhorse DT?

Line;
Shea/Paea/Wooten/Peppers

Seems formidable enough under the circumstances.

[shugknight]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but c'mon, how can you guys still not agree with my statement?

Whether it's age, or skill, or IQ, this defense won't be anywhere in the top 15 or 20 or 25 anytime soon.

[CBS7]

I think we can easily get back to average with some tweeking in the offseason. Any chance our defense had to turn it around after the mediocre start was shot down with the massive injury issues we've had.

Still don't think age was the issue. Briggs and Tillman were both having decent years. Peppers has come around the past couple games. The issue is awful safety play, inexperienced linebackers, and an empty interior line.

[shugknight]

Granted, injuries did hit us big time after the first few weeks of the season.. but even in the first 2 weeks, you can see a very vulnerable defense. Our dline had no impact on the game, and our secondary (mostly safeties) were horrid.

Not every part of the defense looks bad.

We can easily get back to being average in the offseason IF we only focus on defense, which we all know won't happen. Especially with Cutler almost out the door.

Good teams build through the draft. They may not always get a superstar, or even a star, but they can get a decent legitimate backup that can be groomed into a starter after years of work.

Here's is who we have drafted defensively in the past 5 years (not including this years)..

Shea McClellin
Brandon Hardin
Isaiah Frey
Greg McCoy

Stephen Paea
Chris Conte
James Thomas

Major Wright
Corey Wootton
Joshua Moore

Jarron Gilbert
Henry Melton
DJ Moore
Marcus Freeman
Al Afalava

Marcus Harrison
Craig Steltz
Zackary Bowman
Ervin Baldwin
Joe LaRocque

Out of all these players, there are maybe 1-2 players that are worthy of saying that they were a great or even good draft pick. The rest? This sets us up for failure in the future. Lack of big free agency signings have also hurt us. But of course what do you expect when it comes to Chicago team management. That C doesn't stand for Chicago, it stands for Cheap.

[clancyphile]

Here's is who we have drafted defensively in the past 5 years (not including this years)..

Shea McClellin
Brandon Hardin
Isaiah Frey
Greg McCoy

Stephen Paea
Chris Conte
James Thomas

Major Wright
Corey Wootton
Joshua Moore

Jarron Gilbert
Henry Melton
DJ Moore
Marcus Freeman
Al Afalava

Marcus Harrison
Craig Steltz
Zackary Bowman
Ervin Baldwin
Joe LaRocque

Out of all these players, there are maybe 1-2 players that are worthy of saying that they were a great or even good draft pick. The rest? This sets us up for failure in the future. Lack of big free agency signings have also hurt us. But of course what do you expect when it comes to Chicago team management. That C doesn't stand for Chicago, it stands for Cheap.

McClellan was breaking out (see that three-sack game) - then he had that hamstring injury this year. AT WORST he's the guy you bring in as a situational pass rusher, allowing someone like Wooton to move to DT. Wooton is a solid DE/DT. Melton's one of the best DTs in the league, he's just out for the season with injury. Paea is kind of a middling DT (Id have preferred to trade him and keep Idjonie at DT).

Bowman had a good year (6 INTs.) at one point, and has shown flashes. Anyone who racks up six picks in a season could be good.

The Bears need to re-work their D-Line, because Peppers is getting older, and depth has suffered. Safety could use an upgrade. I think Conte might be OK over the long-term, but Wright needs to be replaced.

[heir_jordan22]

This might be the worst defense of the bears have ever had, but that has a lot to do with injuries and and Peppers disappearing.

Melton and his replacement both out
Paea missing most of the season
Williams out all year after just replacing a HOF
Tillman missing a lot of time
Briggs out

Roster is decimated on defense. With an off-season d to adding starters, this defense will be at least average next year barring decimation.

[emperorjones]

Really, having this conversation when Melton, Briggs, Tillman & Paea are out is dumb. Who knows what would have become of the season if Melton (who missed most of the preseason) had played and without the injuries. The fact is, in 2 years (from OPs 2012 statement) this will not be one of the worst defenses because the team has a crap load of cash and will shore up the DL, CBs and S positions.

I really hate it when people kick teams when they are down and decimated by injuries.

[Bulls69]

Chris Conte is pure garbage period no way he should ever be starting in the NFL.

[shugknight]

Really, having this conversation when Melton, Briggs, Tillman & Paea are out is dumb. Who knows what would have become of the season if Melton (who missed most of the preseason) had played and without the injuries. The fact is, in 2 years (from OPs 2012 statement) this will not be one of the worst defenses because the team has a crap load of cash and will shore up the DL, CBs and S positions.

I really hate it when people kick teams when they are down and decimated by injuries.

I made this thread last year. Before this season started, before Urlacher retired, before any of these other "stars" got injured.

I hate to say it, but you guys are looking at fools gold. Briggs and Tillman played for most of the season. Melton, I thought was overrated. People keep saying he's a top DT in the league, but I don't see the stats. He's had 15 sacks in 3 years. Our run defense has been horrible the past 2-3 years. So how exactly is he good?

Just like Mark Anderson, all these players have a breakout year or even breakout game, and you guys put them in the same category as Dent, Singletary, or the Fridge.

Hey I get it, we're Bears fans. We're suppose to overlook the bad with the good.. but honestly, if you think this defense will win us games like it did in the early 2000's, you guys are in for a long run.

And if it is a dumb statement because all these guys are injured, what excuse do you have for the past 2 seasons when they all played relatively healthy?

[heir_jordan22]

We just saw an overhaul of the offense and it is going relatively well. I'm expecting something similar on the defensive side over the next couple years.

[The 6ft Hurdle]

Not sure how well that offensive overhaul is going if Tresty feels the need to kick a FG on 2nd down "just to protect from the possibility of penalties" and we are having trouble beating the bottomfeeding teams.

Maybe this is the worst it gets, but Phil Emery told us that we were ready this year. Haven't been better than last year's team and record-wise, the best we can do now is tie it.

Also, haven't been impressed with what he's drafted for D so far.

[emperorjones]

Really, having this conversation when Melton, Briggs, Tillman & Paea are out is dumb. Who knows what would have become of the season if Melton (who missed most of the preseason) had played and without the injuries. The fact is, in 2 years (from OPs 2012 statement) this will not be one of the worst defenses because the team has a crap load of cash and will shore up the DL, CBs and S positions.

I really hate it when people kick teams when they are down and decimated by injuries.

I made this thread last year. Before this season started, before Urlacher retired, before any of these other "stars" got injured.

I hate to say it, but you guys are looking at fools gold. Briggs and Tillman played for most of the season. Melton, I thought was overrated. People keep saying he's a top DT in the league, but I don't see the stats. He's had 15 sacks in 3 years. Our run defense has been horrible the past 2-3 years. So how exactly is he good?

Just like Mark Anderson, all these players have a breakout year or even breakout game, and you guys put them in the same category as Dent, Singletary, or the Fridge.

Hey I get it, we're Bears fans. We're suppose to overlook the bad with the good.. but honestly, if you think this defense will win us games like it did in the early 2000's, you guys are in for a long run.

And if it is a dumb statement because all these guys are injured, what excuse do you have for the past 2 seasons when they all played relatively healthy?

I was not talking about you. I'm well aware when you made the thread.

[BullHeaded]

Really, having this conversation when Melton, Briggs, Tillman & Paea are out is dumb. Who knows what would have become of the season if Melton (who missed most of the preseason) had played and without the injuries. The fact is, in 2 years (from OPs 2012 statement) this will not be one of the worst defenses because the team has a crap load of cash and will shore up the DL, CBs and S positions.

I really hate it when people kick teams when they are down and decimated by injuries.

I made this thread last year. Before this season started, before Urlacher retired, before any of these other "stars" got injured.

I hate to say it, but you guys are looking at fools gold. Briggs and Tillman played for most of the season. Melton, I thought was overrated. People keep saying he's a top DT in the league, but I don't see the stats. He's had 15 sacks in 3 years. Our run defense has been horrible the past 2-3 years. So how exactly is he good?

Just like Mark Anderson, all these players have a breakout year or even breakout game, and you guys put them in the same category as Dent, Singletary, or the Fridge.

Hey I get it, we're Bears fans. We're suppose to overlook the bad with the good.. but honestly, if you think this defense will win us games like it did in the early 2000's, you guys are in for a long run.

And if it is a dumb statement because all these guys are injured, what excuse do you have for the past 2 seasons when they all played relatively healthy?

I was not talking about you. I'm well aware when you made the thread.

In my opinion... defenses can go from good to bad and from bad to good a lot quicker than offenses. I think the Bears offense getting good so fast this year was more the anomaly than the Bears defense getting so bad so fast. In the spirit of this thread... its possible for the defense to get great again in the next year but be back to terrible within the next 2-3 years after that. Look at how GB's defense went from terrible to number 1 back to below average in a three year span. New Orleans' defense was about as bad as it gets last year and now they're one of the best. Next year they could be bad again.

That said... we will have so much turnover next year you cannot even speculate what the defense will look like. And if we turnover the DC and/or scheme as well... we could get radically better or possibly even worse. Who are the day one starters under contract next year? Peppers (who may be cut for cap space), Paea, Briggs and Conte (who may be demoted or cut for not playing well). So we could have up to nine new starters out of eleven, a new coach and new scheme. Don't talk to me about fools's gold... if you know what's going to happen with the defense next year then I want lottery numbers dammit!

[CBS7]

While it's true when everyone was healthy our defense didn't look as good as we're used to, it's a fact that it looked much better than it does now.
With every injury, it has gotten worse and worse, to the point where it is now, near the bottom of the league.
We wouldn't be elite with everyone healthy, but its silly to think we wouldn't be at least around average with a healthy defense. It didn't get to the pitiful point it is now until Briggs went out.

[shugknight]

Maybe I should have put our TEAM instead of just defense.

[Electric Slim]

Haha, Great bump!

[City of Trees]

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